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Five best graphic novels

Have you guys ever read graphic novels? They're full-length comic strips for grown-ups that often tell hilarious and touching stories. They're entertaining and compelling--it's almost like reading a movie. And you'll notice clever little things in the pictures that add to the story (like a flirty sideways glance or a suspicious bead of sweat). Here are my five favorites...

1. Ghost World, above, follows the adventures of two moody teenage girls, Enid and Becky, after high-school graduation, as they grow up and drift apart. (Did you see the film?) I find it mindblowing how a middle-aged male cartoonist--the hilarious Dan Clowes--managed to portray two listless young women so realistically. (He nailed it.) Ghost World won approximately one million awards for being the best graphic novel ever.2. French Milk is a funny memoir of a 22-year-old's six-week stay in Paris with her mother--complete with drawings of croissants, striped shirts, the Eiffel Towel and some crankiness (which just makes her more charming). Really sweet to see the mother-daughter relationship.3. Persepolis tells the story of the author's childhood under the Islamic Revolution. Her neighbors' homes are bombed, and her once-wealthy parents now struggle to educate her. Her father considers fleeing to America, but then asks to his wife, "I can become a taxi driver and you a cleaning lady?" As she grows up, the girl's rebellious streak puts her in danger. Touching that the story is told through a child's eyes.4. Shortcomings follows Ben, a cynical Japanese-American guy in his twenties, on his search for contentment--and the perfect girl. He's kind of a jerk but you grow to love him, or, at least, understand him. Fascinating insight into a certain type of male mind. (The genius author Adrian Tomine also illustrates for the New Yorker; I once spotted him in a record store! I creepily trailed him around but was too shy to say hello.)5. Cancer Vixen has a scary cover, but I promise you, this book is a-maz-ing. (Even my manly brother-in-law was obsessed with it.) Written by a New Yorker and Glamour cartoonist, the novel tells Marisa's true story of finding a lump in her breast right after meeting the love of her life. This book made me laugh out loud and shed tears, and I couldn't put it town.

I know it's about the Holocaust, which is about as appealing as cancer, but Maus by Art Spiegelmann is one of my favorite books of all time, graphic or not. And then I was also obsessed with the Scott Pilgrim series for a while, notwithstanding the movie.Alison Bechdel's Fun Home is on deck on my bedside table as my next graphic novel. I've heard great things.

I love Persepolis! Being of Iranian descent, I've heard the story of the fall of the Shah and the rise of the Islamic Republic a million times but Persepolis provides a refreshing, comic, and very human point of view. Thumbs up!

I will admit that I have read only one graphic novel (well, technically two because it is in two parts). So, my favorite is Art Spiegelman's Maus, which is about his father's experiences during the Holocaust. The most amazing thing is how he doesn't glorify his father or himself. Truly a worthwhile read.

i just spent a month on holiday in cape town, south africa and discovered an adorably snarky graphic novel called "i don't like chocolate" by the local jesse breytenbach (http://shop.jessebreytenbach.co.za/products/i-dont-like-chocolate-graphic-novel). despite the name (i LOVE chocolate!!!) i absolutely love it and highly recommend it to my fellow americans.

I chose Persepolis somewhat randomly for my book group this year and was so glad I had...we all absolutely loved it. Some of the others mentioned have been on my amazon wish list for ages, this might spur me on to actually purchase some of them!

If you liked any of the graphic novels above, you're missing out if you haven't read Asterios Polyp! Besides being a completely engaging story... for the design nerds out there it sorta fun to pick out/recognize the pieces in his house.

If you enjoyed Persepolis, you will love Maus. One of my favorite is Guy Delisle (from my part of Canada: Quebec).He wrote "Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea" and "Burma Chronicles". The serie "Paul" by Michel Rabagliati (also from Quebec) is super cute. My husband and I LOVE graphic novels :)

Agree with blankets, Shortcomings is great, Essex County is also great (very Canadian). Another favourite is the Paul series (Paul moves out, Paul goes fishing) they are delightful and written by Micheal Rabligatti, and finally Cecil and Jordan in New York by Gabrielle Belle.

I am an unabashed Lucy Knisley fan (French Milk). She's working on a food-memoir called "Relish" right now (I guess she grew up in a family of farming foodies) and I can. not. wait. Her blog is crazy entertaining, too. When I first discovered it (after reading French Milk) I spent like a week of free time pawing through the archives. Thanks for such a cool feature, Joanna.

Some excellent suggestions here. I highly recommend Logicomix, especially if you're into math and/or philosophy); pretty much anything by the genius Alan Moore -- but especially V for Vendetta, Watchmen, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and From Hell; Charles Burns's Black Hole, for the angsty teenager inside you; Will Eisner's Contract with God Trilogy, if you love NYC and its history; and Naoki Urasawa's incredibly moving and beautiful series Pluto.

Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is one of the most amazing works of art, period. Must. Read. The Watchmen is also really eye-opening and wonderful. Third, I second The Walking Dead series. I didn't think I could get so sad and so legitimately terrified to turn out the lights from a book!

I always thought the genre was for the young until I read "Special Exits" by Joyce Farmer. She is one of the original underground-comics artists and writes about her experiences with her elderly parents as they become increasingly dependent on her. Hits home for me and many of my generation.

i read persepolis in my freshman english writing and literature course in college. and i read shortcomings which was recommended by a friend last year. i loved both of them, now i'm off to get the others you've mentioned. graphic novels are so much fun!!!

One of my favorite graphic novels is Blankets by Craig Thompson. I also loved the challenging language in Moving Pictures by Kathryn Immonen. Other favorites: That Salty Air by Tim Sievert, Breakfast After Noon by Andi Watson and Harvey by Herve Bouchard and Janice Nadeau.

i'm surprised no one mentioned preacher by garth ennis & steve dillon. it's one of the very best and a real page turner. i'll throw my hat in the ring for maus by art spiegelman. and lighter, but not nearly as mind-blowingly epic as the first 2: strangers in paradise by terry moore.

As a longtime comic book fan I have plenty of suggestions. If you like HBO programming, look toward DC's imprint Vertigo. I always tell people to start with the Neil Gaiman "Sandman" series (Think of each graphic novel like a television season, and each individual serialized comic in the collection as an episode.) From there, try Brian K. Vaughn's "Y: The Last Man," Garth Ennis's "Preacher," Mike Carey's "Unwritten," and of course, all things Alan Moore. His "Watchmen" is the only graphic novel to make it to the best novel list. I have so many more.

When I first moved to France, a friend of mine gave me Persepolis (4 series of graphic novels) and it was AMAZING!! It's a true story of Marjane Satrapi. She is the illustrator of the novel too. (Its movie is excellent too!)I'm reading graphic novels a lot here in France, since it's very common here. You can find loads of them in the libraries. But my favorite is Persepolis!

I loved Persepolis but French Milk fell a little flat for me. As someone else mentioned, Fun Home is a good read and I would also recommend Rent Girl. I love an autobiography and this one is about Tea's time as a prostitute. Good read if you're into a little grit!

Love Fun Home, about an adolescent girl growing up in a funeral home in the '70s. Sounds dark, but actually beautiful portrait of her and her dad. Also would echo the love for Persepolis and Maus. I've heard great things about Epilepsy, too... they teach graphic novel classes for first year writing seminars, now!

I'm repeating what everyone else said but only because they are my absolute favorites. Blankets by craig thompson is a MUST. My hubs gave it to me when we were dating. Go to Forbidden Planet (best comic book shop in nyc in union sq) and buy it along with anything by Jeffrey Brown, reads like art school boy & his love escapades memoir. Also, maybe not considered graphic novel, but At A Crossroads by Kate T. Williamsom so clever and funny.

Wonderful post idea! Loved Ghost World and Persepolis ... will try the others, as well. Have you read Blankets? I think that's the title. A friend gifted it to me several years ago and I found it to be so touching.

Fun Home is not only my favorite graphic novel of all time, but is in my top ten books, period. It is so flipping good. Her attention to detail in each drawing is incredible. The story is at once tragic, hilarious and so human. I've read it three times.

And... everyone mentioned Blankets, but no one mentioned Goodbye, Chunky Rice! Goodbye, Chunky Rice is one of my favorites. So touching! So sweet!

The Watchmen is also fantastic; don't be dissuaded by the inferior movie adaptation.

If you like food or are interested in Japan, I recommend both Oishinbo (a long-running series) as well as A Year in Japan.

Joanna, I adore you and your blog. I just happened upon Lucy Knisley as well when my friend dropped off the book "Make Yourself Happy" by her (which came after French Milk)--I even wrote about it last week on my blog. I cannot wait to read the rest of her work--her writing style (like yours!) is addicting.

persepolis 1 & 2 were amazing. and most recently, marjane satrapi published "el suspiro" - the sigh?? not sure if she's published it in english or not, but it's very folksy. it could work well as a children's book, i think! xo

So many comments to read through -- how do you keep track of them all?!? So, this has probably been mentioned (The Impostor's Daughter) and I see Fun Home was mentioned above. Both worth a look if you're into Graphic Novels. :)

Haven't read French Milk -- but I, apparently, need to add it to my list ASAP, thanks for the rec!

(My wife's a regular reader and sometimes sends me your way; as a comics guy, I loved this post)

I'll forgo recommending all the supernatural/superhero stuff that rocks my world, and instead say that I think that some of your readers might like Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things. It's not a realist/modern tale like the ones you mention, but it's not as graphic or gruesome as Sandman or Walking Dead ... more of a lighthearted nostalgic look at childhood and girl power. A smarter, more compelling Harry Potter. Great for recovering goths!

I basically survive of Japanese graphic novels. I didn't know French Milk and it looks really worth of a look. Ghost World has been one of my favourite films ever, I loved the cynicism in there (still I need to grasp the ending which I didn't understand very much). Cool suggestions, thanks a bunch :) - Barbara

My boyfriend, who's pretty well-versed in comics and graphic novel, told me to check it out even though he hadn't read it himself but had heard great things. The idea is simple: One man's journey through life and how unexpectedly that can come to an end. But the execution is splendid! It's a beautiful story that will touch you repeatedly. :)

"Blankets" and "Carnet De Voyage" by Craig Thompson are MUST READS for sure! Blankets might seem intimidating, because it's HUGE but I swear I got so sucked into that book I read it all in an afternoon. Another good one is "Mr. Wonderful" by Daniel Clowes.

I love Marjane Satrapi, and as Sarah said the film is also amazing... Do you know "the rabbi's cat" by Joann Sfar ? It's a very good graphic novel, and has been adapted as a film too. I love it, I think it's my favorite one, lots of laugh of wisdom in it !

I love Marjane Satrapi, and as Sarah said the film is also amazing... Do you know "the rabbi's cat" by Joann Sfar ? It's a very good graphic novel, and has been adapted as a film too. I love it, I think it's my favorite one, lots of laugh of wisdom in it !

I recently fell in love with Laika by Nick Abadzis. It is based on Laika, the first dog in space, who was launched in the Soviet space program's Sputnik 2.. It's a very endearing, tearful and captivating story. http://www.amazon.com/Laika-Nick-Abadzis/dp/1596431016

Epileptic, by David B. is the first graphic novel I fell in love with. It's beautiful, which helps, and it's scary to watch his brother's epilepsy take over their family. The book is much more about family and sibling relationships than the illness they try so hard to deal with. (Another product of France!"

Fun Home was my first and only graphic novel I've read (actually a graphic memoir), but I quickly realized that I should look into the genre a bit more because it was really enjoyable. Great recommendations!

This post made me so happy! I actually took a class on graphic novels last year and wrote my own (I'm in art school in Michigan :). My favorite is called Jar of Fools by Jason Lutes. The plot is really bizarre, but the emotions are incredibly real.

I read Persepolis a year ago. I will never forget the heroine or the story and her struggles. Did you see the film based on the graphic novel? I think I'll have to read French Milk next. It looks awesome.

American Splendor is my favorite comic book series; a few years ago some compilations were published making it easier to get all issues. It was also made into a movie starring Paul Giamatti. Highly recommended!

Please check out any and all of Craig Thompson's work. As mentioned above, "Blankets," is by far one of the best stories let alone graphic novels that I read. Also his graphic novel, "Goodbye Chunky Rice," is fantastic.

Blankets, of course, and Craig Thompson's new graphic novel, Habibi, comes out this fall. Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth is by Chris Ware and very well written, and more recently I really enjoyed Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol. It's a great, darkened version of a teen graphic novel.

I fell in love with graphic novels reading Alex Robinson's "Box Office Poison". It portrays the intertwined lives of a series of characters ranging from students fresh from college to an old comic writer. Tears and laughter on the menu. Once you've started it, you can't put it down.

I've never read any graphic novels before, but I'm definitely interested in checking them out now! I've heard of Lucy Knisley before, but only through her blog. She just did an awesome illustrated series of every Harry Potter book. It's here if you're interested: http://lucylou.livejournal.com/596984.html

Thanks for the interesting book recommendations! Glad I finally know what a graphic novel is, I'll definitely be reading some of them soon! I also just bought The History of Love and am so excited to read it now!

Winshluss's pinocchio is beautiful ( he helped animate Persepolis) The work of Canadian artist Seth pulls you in, he even built models of a fictional town so that he could get the mood right. There are so many that I don't even know where to begin!

i want to say like this:Someone above mentioned Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, which I highly, highly recommend. It's a hilarious and engrossing memoir about, among other things, growing up with a secretly gay dad

Jo, I love, love, love The Fart Party I & II and Drinking At The Movies, all by Julia Wertz. They are the tales of a young woman from San Francisco growing up, falling in love, breaking up, moving to NYC, becoming an alcoholic, and then cleaning up her life. Very raunchy but also very poignant. As a dear lover of SF, her drawings of places around the city get right at my heart. Highly recommended!

I don't *think* anyone's mentioned these (I'm a big fan of many of the others mentioned in the comments- Blankets, Fun Home, etc.):

"Good Eggs: A Memoir" By Phoebe Potts (about struggling w/infertility, but much more than just that)

"Dragonslippers: This is What an Abusive Relationship Looks Like" By Rosalind B. Penfold (pseudonym). I know the title sounds very heavy, and this isn't a "ha ha" graphic novel, but it's a really fascinating, gripping story - and I've never been involved in an abusive relationship (thank god). Could see it being very helpful, too, for those who have experienced this horror.

I have to throw my hat in for the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. I have always loved his novels, and I read Sandmen 1-10 over the past week (yay summer vacation), and I canNOT stop thinking about them. The man is a masterful, amazing story teller. I love love love him.

My favorite graphic novel is Maus by Art Spiegelman, and it's quite easily my favorite book, too. I've never read anything as powerful and informative as Maus, and I think it's absolutely brilliant: by turning Jews into mice and the Nazis into Cats, Spiegelman is able to give the readers an even more up-close and personal side of the Holocaust. I'm fascinated.

On another note, I'm just about to reserve all five at my library now! Thanks for recommendations, I love seeing your documentary and book choices, Joanna!